2008 Woodie Awards
Spinning into shape
Sarah Perillo
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As 15 students dressed in workout clothes pedal as fast they can on the aerobic bicycles sweat begins to gather on their foreheads. Loud upbeat music is playing in the background while Lisa Augustine is giving them motivational words to help them through the workout.
"Spin aerobics is just an awesome way to get into shape, it's a lot of fun and is built on heart response", said Augustine about the class she has created.
As of the start of the spring semester, LCCC has been offering a new Spin Aerobics class.
Aerobics spinning is a 50-minute class where a student sits on an aerobic bike that looks a lot like a normal bicycle and cycles to burn calories.
Many athletes use spin aerobics across the country during the off-seasons, Augustine explained.
Heart rate and resistance are a crucial part of the spin aerobic workout, she said. It cross trains the body aerobically, focusing on the heart, lungs, and burning calories.
"It is definitely a good workout, it increases endurance a lot more than other aerobic classes I have tried and it's also a lot of fun" said Stephanie Schneider, an LCCC student.
Heart rate and resistance are a crucial part of the spin aerobic workout explains Augustine.
Spinning can enhance cardiovascular fitness and improve muscle tone and exercise endurance according to Healthatoz.com. Research has also been shown that a 40-minute spinning workout can burn about 500 calories.
The class is located in the LCCC Field House and is offered in morning and afternoon classes and also on the weekends, as both a credit and non-credit courses. The class counts as one credit hour.
There are seven instructors that teach the spin aerobic classes. Lisa Augustine, who also puts together the class at LCCC, Deb Lansman, Diane Corraro, Jackie Iwanski, Renee Crates, Leslie Crates and Kathryn Orantek.
All instructors are certified by Mad Dog Aerobics, which is the most nationally recognized organization for cycling.
There are only 15 bikes, so classes fill quickly. The class consists of 80 percent girls and 20 percent boys.
Heart monitors are used during each class, which help assure that the workout is being done properly.
As the class progresses each semester, Augustine hopes to be able to offer more with her spin classes, such as different types of competitions and events that will make people want to get involved with the program.
